Sigma Chi’s Derby Days raises money for children’s network

Last week, Sigma Chi (Sig Chi) put on their annual philanthropy event, Derby Days, to benefit Children’s Miracle Network. Derby Days is a week-long event that consists of various competitions among the Greek community. This year, there were six teams—one for each sorority and team “GDI,” an independent non-Greek team.

This year Sig Chi created the theme “Derby Vines,” a play on the name of the clothing brand Vineyard Vines. On Monday, Sig Chi held a banner-making competition. Each team was instructed to design a banner promoting the philanthropy and Derby Days. On Tuesday, teams participated in “sign a sig”, where they needed to sign any Sig Chi’s shirt that they saw. On Thursday, teams were commissioned to paint a cooler for Sig Chi with a design consistent with the “Derby Vines” theme.

Several competitions were hosted throughout the week, including bake sales and t-shirt sales each day.
On Friday night, a balloon party was hosted at the Sig Chi house.

The party paid tribute to the fraternity’s philanthropy organization, Children’s Miracle Network, and to announce the week’s winner—Delta Gamma. Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit international organization founded in 1982 that raises funds for children’s medical research and children’s hospitals, according to its website. The foundation has raised over $4.7 billion dollars in its 30 years of existence.

Sig Chi donates all of the Derby Days proceeds to Children’s Miracle Network each year. This year junior Tim O’Keeffe, a member of Sig Chi, said he was thrilled to be a part of raising money for a good cause.

“Being able to support Children’s Miracle Network is one of my favorite parts of being a Sig Chi brother,” he said. “It’s such an amazing organization and I am so proud to be able to help out sick children every year.”

O’Keeffe said he thinks charity work is an important part of the Greek community.

“People don’t usually think about charity work when they think of Greek life,” he said. “Instead, they think of parties and drinking. But I think it is important to show off the causes that each chapter on campus supports. That’s what I love about hosting Derby Days.”